Marching Bands are Just Homeless Orchestras, Half-Empty Thoughts Volume 1
Written by Tim Siedell and illustrated by Brian Andreas

“I wouldn’t say I’m antisocial
as much as I’d say it’s hard to meet interesting people in an attic.”

- Tim Siedell, @badbanana

About the Book

Marching Bands are Just Homeless Orchestras, Half-Empty Thoughts Volume 1, by Tim Siedell, is a light and easily read collection of select quips from the man behind the wildly popular @badbanana persona on Twitter and Facebook.

Unlike the ever-flowing nature of Facebook and Twitter feeds, Marching Bands are Just Homeless Orchestras brings Tim’s bursts of abbreviated wit, self-effacing observations and social commentary into a traditional book format — and turns them into a keepsake.

And who better than Tim Siedell, an icon himself in online social realms, to present us with a snapshot of a trend toward modern-day shortened writing forms he’s been instrumental in propelling.

“Tim Siedell clearly has no life, but he’s extremely funny while not having one.”

- Rob Reiner, famed actor, director, writer and producer

Seasonally Set

‪Punctuated throughout by the whimsical and lyrically expressive line art of Brian Andreas—an apt accompaniment—Marching Bands are Just Homeless Orchestras is a must-have memento of a cultural era in flux. It also makes a fitting holiday gift for any busy friend or loved one with a throng of online tweeps and peeps.

A One Man Brand of Broad Appeal

In addition to Tim’s ongoing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, his work has been cited in The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and on NPR, The Huffington Post, The Today Show, MSNBC, Mashable.com, Fast Company, PC World and Maxim.com.

Published by StoryPeople Press, Tim’s book is currently available for pre-order (shipping the final week in November) on Storypeople.com and Amazon.com.

Vanquishing Super Heroes One Illustration at a Time

In an ongoing battle of one-upmanship, each post on The Superest website features a one-panel illustration of a super hero.

The hook? Two illustrators take turns, and the power of each new super hero must cancel the power of the previous character. The Superest is based on an offline game created by Andy Havens called, “My Team, Your Team.”

Wholly Exclusivity Batman!

In spite of a growing fan base, The Superest is for the most part just animator/designer Matthew Sutter and illustrator/designer Kevin Cornell. It represents a highly creative use of online social conventions, allowing many to share and comment on an experience typically enjoyed by individuals in solitude.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Unlike Coudal Partner’s popular Layer Tennis, Sutter and Cornell seem content to war on for the pure fun and camaraderie of the experience.

“We built The Superest because we just wanted a place to play this game against each other. People seem to enjoy watching, and we’re thankful for that; but turning this site into a user-content focused site pretty much sucks the joy out of it for us, because we go from being two artists having fun, to being site administrators and moderators.”

-Kevin Cornell

Luckily, The Superest creators set out to have some fun and we’re all invited.

Stay Tuned

Tomorrow Kevin Cornell answers 9-1/2 questions about The Superest site and his life as a creative illustrator.

It’s alive—Chicago-area McDonald’s billboard aimed at a healthier lifestyle.

“Leo Burnett’s creative team worked closely with a horticulturalist to create a billboard that could start with 1½-inch sprouts and grow into lush leaves.”—Chicago Business

Grow Green

Looking to promote their health-conscious menu, McDonald’s posted this billboard in Chicago’s Wrigleyville district—bringing to life terms like ‘environmental graphics,’ ‘the medium is the message’ and ‘green is the new black.’

Or Go Home

Although, at street level, McDonald’s remains unwilling to tamper with their Happy Meal marketing model that targets children. One parent’s response to the billboard, “So why don’t the “Fresh Salads” come with a toy?”

Yes, why not? Lettuce margins should certainly allow for a Happy Meal toy for the coveted under-10 crowd. A move like that might even turn other burger joints green with envy.

Still, nice promo—healthy outlook.

source: Chicago Business

[via: dgirlp ]

From HGTV to Wired magazine, everyone is talking about DNA 11, a Canadian company that turns your DNA into high design.

It’s as easy as taking a cotton swab sample from the inside of your cheek and selecting a color scheme and print size. In just a few weeks you’ll have a one-of-a-kind DNA portrait.